DESCRIPTION (adapted from the application) This is the second competing renewal application for a training program in Pediatric Nephrology under the leadership of Dr. Michel G. Baum, who will be the Program Director and is also the Director of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology. The purpose of the training program in Pediatric Nephrology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is to train pediatricians for careers as independent investigators in academic Pediatric Nephrology. There is a shortage of Pediatric Nephrologists in the United States and many positions in Pediatric Nephrology go unfilled each year. Most trainees in Pediatric Nephrology do not receive training to prepare them for independent research careers. This application requests funds for two Pediatric Nephrology fellowship positions (clinical training is paid by the Department of Pediatrics). Fellows will spend at least two years in clinical or basic research related to renal development, renal physiology, metabolic bone disease and the pathophysiology of kidney disease in children. In addition, fellows attend weekly conferences given by the Department of Pediatrics designed to prepare fellows for careers in academic medicine. Topics related to ethics in medicine and biomedical research are strongly emphasized in these lectures and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center also gives additional medical ethics lectures for fellows and faculty. Joint weekly conferences by the Divisions of Pediatric and Internal Medicine Nephrology include clinical and molecular biology journal clubs, renal grand rounds, renal research conference, and a renal physiology lecture series. Fellows also attend seminars in basic science departments. The research mentor, as well as the program director, closely supervise trainees to ensure that the goals of the training program are achieved.